


Ease your tensions

by alexxir



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, One Shot, Porn with Feelings, Post-Golden Deer Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), claude is inexperienced but don't worry byleth's got him covered, mild choking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:27:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22127122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexxir/pseuds/alexxir
Summary: me, using my market hustle voice: come get your sappy smut, come get your sappy smut here folksdedicated to #claudelethNSFW week.
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 9
Kudos: 118





	Ease your tensions

_Gods_ , was she tired.

It wasn't for lack of sleep as such - although her late nights certainly weren't helping.

No, the thoughts that plagued her mind and were keeping her wound up tight were entirely of a political nature.

Ever since their battle with Nemesis, whispers had begun to circulate that she was to be crowned the new leader of the Seiros faith, and by extension, the entirety of Fodlan. It wasn't left of field by any stretch of the imagination, as Rhea had already expressed to her the desire to see Byleth take over where her failing strength would not allow her to continue.

Byleth just didn't feel ready for it.

Becoming a professor all those years ago was one thing - she had a support network of other staff to guide her through, and students ever willing to soak up her insight on battles and formations. But ruling an entire country?

She frowned, fingers kneading her forehead as if she could just massage away her anxieties.

Footsteps were approaching her. She lifted her head up from her hands to find one smiling, proud Claude von Riegan.

"Rough day?" He sounded as cheery as ever as he rounded to her table on the balcony. Her brows were still pulled in the smallest of furrows when she sighed.

"Any cures for a headache?"

He chuckled. "A couple. Although I haven't quite worked out their side effects."

She smiled at him, bemused at the thought that she couldn't quite tell if he was being serious. He took the seat next to her, leaning in close. "But seriously, my dear friend, is there anything I can help with?"

She took a moment to consider his words. She could talk about her fears that were nagging at her, but she didn't feel like airing them out. Although her headache was light, she knew it would get worse if they divulged into an hour long conversation about the finesse and expectations of ruling.

No, what she needed was -

"Could you help me relax?"

His eyebrows shot up at her words. "Well, I could certainly try."

Her smile was faint, but knowing, and she didn't flinch away when he reached up to lace his fingers between her own.

"You'll have to give something to work with though, Teach. Should I fetch some tea? Grab a book on poetry and serenade you to sleep?"

She giggled at him, cheeks slightly flushed. Confessing that his mere presence had already helped immensely was probably too much for his ego, so she stayed silent.

When she looked up at him next, she found that his eyes had a playful glint to them.

"Byleth," he whispered, leaning in close to her ear, "do you trust me?"

He stood back, just a little. Gauging her reaction, patient. Waiting for a sign in those steely eyes of hers.

What he didn't expect was to find they had softened.

At that, he moved to grasp her face in his hand. Closed his eyes, and moved in for a kiss.

At first, she didn't react. His boldness had surprised her, and she was momentarily stunned. Realising the lack of reciprocation, he pulled back quickly. Tried to look for the answer to his question in her eyes, but when she said nothing-

"I - Teach," he began, already reverting back from a first name basis, she noted painfully, "if I have overstepped, or misread, please-"

She didn't let him finish before cutting off his words with her lips.

"Hpmh -!"

She moved in closer to press against him, and pulled him down to the earth, just enough to lace her arms around his neck. A little wanting sound escaped his throat.

"Stars above, Byleth," he said, pulling back to draw a deep, shaky breath. He was just lucid enough to note a flicker of something warm in her eyes as he said her name, and carefully he stashed that knowledge away. "So I take it this is OK?"

Byleth was grinning, a sight that seemed to make him feel suddenly weightless. A grin was a rare thing, at best, and now, cheeks slightly flushed, gazing up at him expectantly, he was suddenly, vividly reminded of the countless Almyrian romances he'd stashed away from libraries and read under the bed covers at night. _She's going to be the death of me_ , he thought weakly.

"More than ok," she finally responded. As she leaned back into him, Byleth caught the bottom of his lip between her teeth. Languidly ran her tongue across his skin. Light enough to be a tease that drew goosebumps from his flesh. At that, it very quickly dawned on him that perhaps this wasn't her first foray in these types of matters, and that only made him flush harder.

"G-great," he said, trying to maintain his composure, "because even I'm not foolish enough to get on the ashen demon's bad side."

She only managed to hum in response, lowering her lips down to the dip in his collarbone.

"Their good side, though?" he continued, bringing a playful tease to his words. "Seems pretty spectacular so far. Can't wait to see more."

She looked up at him, her eyes crinkled, her smile small and fond. "This is something I've wanted to do for awhile now."

"You don't say?" his voice half surprised, half amused. He ran his fingers through her hair (so _soft_ ), and let her continue.

"I didn't know whether it would be appropriate, given your… position." The words were carefully said, and Byleth frowned at the afterthought, suddenly aware of the implications she had avoided up until this very moment.

When she glanced back at Claude, she found him with a very serious expression. He placed both hands on her shoulder firmly.

"Byleth. Pop quiz. Tell me my biggest ambition. The dream I hold dearest to my heart. Entertain me, will you?"

It wasn't a trick question, as far as she could guess. Pausing for a moment to find the right words, she said "You wish to break down the borders that divide people."

"Exactly."

His grip loosened, and the pad of his thumbs began to twirl into her shoulders in a slow, patient massage. "So, with this dream so very important to me, what do you suppose my opinion is on class relations?"

The realisation hit her very suddenly. "Oh," she said, softly. He chuckled.

"Oh, indeed."

A small blush rose to her cheeks. "I only wanted to protect you."

He nodded, eyes softer than before. "Of course you did. We'd be fools if we were blind to the risks of a public affair between a religious leader and a foreign king. Believe me, I completely understand. I appreciate the concern, though." Claude leaned in to touch their foreheads together. "My wonderful Teach, always looking out for me, huh?"

Unsure of how to respond at first, Byleth instead moved her hands to grasp either side of his hips. She glanced up at him, pulling away slightly to meet him eye to eye.

He continued. "We're still some time away before Fodlàn would feel indifferently about us. Unfortunately I'll have to hold off on the elaborate, romantic displays I have up my sleeve." His grin was positively _cheeky_. "Don't worry, I'm devastated, too."

Byleth giggled. Trust Claude to schemify courting. She dipped down under his chin to give him a light peck against his stubble. "More motivation for change." She's teasing, of course, and Claude knows it too - both of them have committed so much to his - no, _their_ \- ambitions, that nothing holds them back from always, tirelessly, working on those dreams to come to fruition.

Byleth was still pondering said potential romantic displays when Claude captured her lips back into a kiss.

He was messy, evidently unpracticed, but incredibly passionate. She pried open his lips with his tongue to deepen the kiss, and he let out a soft moan. Oh, now _there's_ more of those sounds that pooled warmth in the pit of her stomach.

She reached around his chair to grope him on the ass.

"Wha- hah! Teach!" He laughed, breaking away from the kiss to lean into her shoulder. She couldn't help but feel smug when she felt heat radiating from his face. "Going straight in for the kill?"

Emboldened, she sat up from her chair and pushed in closer to him, chest against chest, massaged her hands deeper into his flesh, only slightly irritated that a layer of satin was between them. She could feel a heavy exhale against her neck.

Feeling giddy, she pushed him back against his seat, hands now trailing his chest. She frowned, only slightly. "You wear too many clothes," she said.

Claude chuckled, and Byleth could hear the genuine excitement in its tone. "Well, that can _easily_ change." He captured her lips for a quick peck before adding, "But we are out in the open, and I don't particularly want to be caught cold _and_ red-handed."

Byleth smirked at that, and turned on her heels, snatching his hand in hers and lifting up him. "My quarters." It wasn't a question, and she dragged him along.

It was mere moments before they had made their way to Byleth's personal lodgings, quickly making sure the door behind them was bolted shut. A disturbance from Seteth, or any of the other higher ranked church members, would definitely ruin any chance of remaining covert.

As soon as she was able, after she and Claude hastily removed their shoes and outer coats, Byleth practically pounced on the unsuspecting Claude. Her hands shot to his hair, hips pressed up against his crotch, humming happily as she snatched his lower lip in between her teeth. She could feel his arousal very much building against her abdomen, and it only stirred on her own.

"Hah, Byleth," he breathed, eyes half lidded, "You're exceptional at this."

She pressed her fingertips into his hair, kneeding at the scalp. A long contended moan drew out from Claude's lips, and she felt him go pliant against the door.

"Weak spot?"

"Absolutely."

Byleth hummed again. She continued to massage him, thoroughly enjoying the way his eyelids fluttered at her touch, and how he seemed to melt the longer she kept at it.

When her hands drifted down closer to the back of his neck, he whimpered.

"You're cute," she observed.

"N - I'm clearly handsome."

She giggled. "You can be both."

An idea suddenly sprang to Byleth's mind. She crept a hand down his back, and bent forward to place a supporting arm on the back of his thighs.

"Teach, what are you - woah-!"

Byleth had swept up Claude to cradle him in her arms. Claude's own arms darted to cling onto her shoulders, his mind still catching up to the absurdity of it all. Seeing his momentary shock, she smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. You're not heavy for me."

"No kidding -!"

She waited until he adjusted in her grip, and she moved, making a beeline for the four post bed further back into the room (one of the better perks of her elevated church status). The shock was slowly fading from Claude's eyes, to be replaced with a reverence Byleth would never tire from seeing from him. She gently laid him on the mattress.

"Phew. Can't say I've been carried like that since I was a child." He gave her a once over, pride in his eyes. "It was exhilarating, really."

She knelt down on the mattress, cradling his knees in between her thighs. His head sunk further into the pillows before he spoke again. "Always a pleasure being reminded of your strength."

She snorted, bending over him. She'd indulge in his teasing, just this once. "I'm not _just_ strong. I have other… talents."

"Oh?" he raised an eyebrow, urging her to continue.

"Mhm." She fiddled with his cravat as she slowly, carefully, crept further up on him until each of her thighs straddled his hips. When she nestled down, she couldn't stop a sharp exhale at the feeling of his strained crotch between her arse.

However, her shift had caused a flicker of concern to flash in Claude's eyes. It was brief, but definitely there. Carefully, she raised a hand to his cheek.

"Are you ok?"

"What, with this? You? Of course, Byleth. What makes you ask?" He was grinning again, but she wasn't buying it. After all, he had his subtle tells he could not hide from her - the small swallow, the twitchy fingers, the eyes not _quite_ returning her concerned gaze.

"You're nervous."

He chuckled softly. "Ah, I forget you know me better than I thought." Claude's hand reached out to Byleth's hip, thumbing in circles. He waited a moment longer before speaking. "I'm a little out of my element. I've never had much practice in this area."

It clicked in Byleth's brain. "So you've never laid with another?"

He baulked, ever slightly. "No need to act so surprised. You'll hurt my dignity."

She shook her head. "I'm sorry."

Not wanting her to feel remorse for his teasing, he lifted a hand to connect with her own that was still resting on her cheek. "Don't be. You know me - I'm never one to find myself willingly unprepared."

The words he left unsaid played out in her thoughts. _I want this, but I want to do well by you._

"Well then," she began, giving him a smile she hoped could be expressive as she felt, "In the words of a certain friend of mine - do you trust me?"

Byleth could see the relief wash over his eyes, charmed to have his own reassurance directed back at him.

"I do."

"And if I move too fast, you'll tell me?"

He nodded.

"Good."

Slowly, Byleth began to stretch further down to press her body against him, cozying her head against the side of his neck. Her hips built up a steady rhythm grinding against his crotch. Lips to his skin, leaving little pecks, trailing down.

"Ah - that's great."

Her hands weaved underneath his waistband sash, looking for an entrance. Moments later, her hands drawled across the plains of his chest, hungrily pressing into the tight muscle and coarse hair there. Her fingers caressed back and forth over the tips of his nipples - he closed his eyes and sighed, so she kept at, teasing.

"Nnn, here, let me…" Claude trailed off, hands searching for the various ties that held his ensemble together. Realising his efforts, Byleth worked on removing his cravat, and then diverted her attention to her own outfit. It was messy work, and they both chuckled when they had to shift apart from each other just to free themselves completely of their clothes.

One they had settled, bare before each other, clothes haphazardly thrown across the room, their gazes met. A look of wonder at the other's appearance was shared between them.

"Byleth," he whispered, reverent. "You're beautiful."

The compliment made her blush. She shifted against him. She was never one to consider her physical appearance - beside that one time the whole monastery was in shock over her sudden green hair and eyes - and she'd never taken a moment since to reflect on her appearance in the eyes of others.

Claude moved his hands to her breasts, groaning as he massaged her soft flesh. "Has anyone told you how blessedly endowed you are?"

"Claude!"

He bit back a grin. "Sorry - couldn't resist." Crafty fingers tweaked her nipples and she squirmed on top of him.

It gave her some satisfaction to pry his grin away with a wanting kiss.

Her hands gripped the side of his cheeks, pushing her weight into him, driving him further into the bed. She hungrily poked her tongue through his lips. When she shifted her hips down lower, purposefully, needy, settling her crotch against his erection, both of them groaned into each other.

Her head felt light. She was wet, and he was so _warm_ , so firm. She dragged herself back and forth across him and felt her desire bloom.

Claude pulled away from the kiss to breathe, shaky. "D - damn." His grip on her chest tightened. "That's - stars, keep going."

Ever happy to oblige, she rocked against him, slicking him up. The soft, panting noises he was making - _god_. She could feel herself twitch on top of him.

She kept at a languid pace, not wanting to overwhelm him too quickly, being so new to intimacy. She could coach him through it this way. Although, truth be told, in no part was she not incredibly satisfied with how easy it was to watch Claude melt beneath her. His shoulders sunk further into the mattress with every purposeful movement of her hips. His mouth parted wider when she preened at his massage of her breasts.

Slowly, wonderfully, she was unraveling the walls he kept up around him. And, really - watching him relax made it so much easier for her to follow suit.

His tip pressed up at her entrance. He looked up at her expectantly. She nodded. Grasping him underneath her, she angled herself, and in one fluid motion, sank down on him.

They keened in sync.

"Ah - hah, Byleth, that's -" he was visibility enamored, unable to speak clearly. While she wasn't holding up any better herself, the sight of him, the cunning wordsmith, at a loss for words, made her feel none too pleased with herself.

She lowered herself down to the hilt with a gasp. Claude shuddered.

"Can I?" he asked. She nodded.

Digging his heels into the mattress, he rocked up into her. She followed, eagerly trying to match the rhythm he set.

She felt so full. A spark shuddered down to her stomach when she lifted a hand from his chest to creep down to her clit. Slow, teasing circles, keeping her wanting.

Claude watched her, eyes like an enthusiastic puppy. At the attention, she arched back to give him a better show. The result was instantaneous- he growled, and rocked up more firmly.

"H - Hold me," she breathed, directing his hands to her hips. He could control the pace better like this, and she could focus on the angles that left her speechless.

"With pleasure."

Solid, calloused fingers gripped her sides tight. She lent an arm back to brace herself, hand on his thigh, while the other hand worked her clit, gasping at how sensitive she was.

She couldn't as easily ride him at this angle, but what movement she sacrificed made up for easy access to her own pleasure. She could feel her inner walls clenching like mad, crazed at the driving motions of Claude and her own feather-light touches.

Both of them were now panting. Sweat gleamed on Claude's forehead, loose locks clinging to his skin. He slowed down, ever slightly. A thumb traced her hips. His eyes looked up at her questioning.

"Byleth, could you..?"

He slid up his hands to the small dip in her back, coaxed her forwards. She followed, letting him grab her free hand and urge it to settle against his neck. Her eyes widened.

"Do you want me to choke you?"

"I… " he began, almost sheepish. "well - yes. Please."

The vulnerable look he gave her was electrifying. How could she deny him such a request?

With his guidance, her fingers reached around his neck. Not too hard, at first. Enough for a consistent pressure, not enough to suffocate him. His pulse was hammering, and when she began moving again, Claude's eyes almost rolled back into his head.

She heard swearing in a language that certainly wasn't Fodlanese.

She held him tighter.

A familiar warmth was building in her stomach. Her circles around her clit became more insistent, searching for that perfect touch to bring her to her peak. She began moving against him in earnest in her new position, braced by her hand against his neck and the fingers that Claude was digging into her hips.

Claude too, seemed more tense, likely close. When his fingers pressed into the flesh of her arse, prying her more open for him, she shuddered, moaning.

"I'm close," she warned him, voice low. "Gods, so close."

"Herbs," he rasped.

The haze of pleasure snapped momentarily. She looked down at him, brow raised questioningly.

"From - apothecary. Contraceptive. Tomorrow." His words were strained, both from the restraint in his neck and the effort in rational thought.

It took her a second, but she caught on. The implications of his words took root in the form of an excited jolt to her stomach. She nodded to show she understood.

With his worries freed, Claude sped up.

"Claude - I'm -!"

Her cry was silent as she came, a wave of an orgasm crashing down on her, fast, intense. Her walls gripped him deathly tight, so hard that she felt him throb within her, and seconds later, he too, released with a sound almost like a wail.

They slumped together, boneless and panting.

It was a while before they moved. Byleth nestled her head in the crook between Claude's neck and collarbone. Claude's fingers were aimlessly wandering the planes of her back, not in any particular pattern or rhythm - there to keep himself grounded to the present.

She felt him swallow before he spoke. "Gotta say - that's the best lesson I've ever had."

A beat, and then, she was laughing. A laugh that was loud, raucous - full of mirth, and incredibly infectious. Claude joined in, and the two of them laughed until they wheezed and the efforts made their chests tight.

After their breathing settled, faces still beaming, Claude rose a hand to caress the side of Byleth's cheek. "I'll never tire of hearing you laugh like that."

She smiled at him fondly. "As will I."

They were sticky, and exhausted, and as Claude shifted out, Byleth could feel his seed slowly leak from out underneath her.

 _A couple more minutes_ , she thought to herself. She would clean, eventually. But for now, fully relaxed in the embrace of her most trusted friend (and now lover), she would enjoy this moment awhile longer.

And, besides - her headache had disappeared. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> EDIT: did some tidying up of some grammar errors
> 
> \----
> 
> i am just,,, a little sappy creature,,, 
> 
> I've written fanfic in the past, but this is my first public one. it was written on mobile, so please forgive me if I've missed any autocorrect errors! 
> 
> also I'm gonna place this fic after final GD war fight but before their paired meeting in the goddess tower, and pretend there is about a week between the two canon events. yeehaw. 
> 
> my main is @sylveos and my nsfw account is @rosey_chain. 💖


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